I Know Why the Caged Cricket Sings
by NeitherSparky
Summary: Molt wanders away from the circus one night and meets a very unusual girl.
1. Chapter One

**I Know Why the Caged Cricket Sings**  
a _Bug's Life_ fanfic  
by  
C. "Sparky" Read

_**Chapter One**_

P.T. counted the money, beaming.

"What a haul," he said smugly. "This 'berg's so full of yahoos it hurts. But I don't mind the pain." He kissed the wad of cash. "Twenty!" he crowed, waving the money at his performers, who were leaning tiredly on props all around the tent. "Twenty insects in one night! The biggest audience we've had in _months!_ We're staying right here for...two weeks! Maybe three!" Cackling and singing to himself, P.T. hopped out of the tent to count the money again in private.

"Three weeks," mused Slim, stretching. "That would be nice. I do hate packing and repacking everything every few days."

"Tell me about it." Francis rolled his eyes. "Well that's it, I'm beat."

General mumbling all around confirmed that Francis wasn't the only one turning in for the night.

Blip hmphed as everyone started filing out of the tent to find places to sleep. "These guys just ain't got no stamina," he remarked to Flash over his shoulder.

He was answered by a snore.

"Flash you feeb!" growled Blip, kicking the other firefly.

Flash awoke with a sputter. "Wha? What? I'm awake!"

"No you're not," sneered Blip. "Come on! We're gonna play _Stinger Brigade_ tonight, remember?"

Flash rubbed his eyes. "C'mon, Blip," he complained. "I'm outta it. Play with Ymri."

Blip caught a glimpse of the spider in question leaving the tent with the others. "Just left," he said.

"Then play with Molt."

Blip made a face. "Molt's no good at _Stinger Brigade_," he answered. "He keeps having mercy on the prisoners and letting them go home. You can't rack up points that way."

Flash staggered towards the tentflap. "Well it's Molt or no one 'cause I'm turnin' in." And he left.

Blip all but pouted. What was with everyone? It wasn't _that_ late. The firefly stepped outside and peered around, trying to find the grasshopper. Maybe they could play something else, like _Snake Den_ or _Leech Empire_.

But twenty minutes of searching and calling for Molt proved fruitless, as the big grasshopper was nowhere to be found. Blip gave up in disgust and had to content himself with a rousing game of Solitaire, which he didn't enjoy at all.

"I hope that dope's out enjoyin' himself," Blip muttered to no one in particular.

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Molt wasn't enjoying himself at all. Right after the show he had skipped the tent to find something to eat - P.T. had been so excited about the new location that he hadn't allotted his crew any meal breaks - and now he was lost. Worse than that, he was lost in Human territory.

The grasshopper flew from shrub to shrub, hoping to find something that looked familiar. The real problem was, _everything_ looked familiar. Cursing tract housing, Molt landed on a mailbox and sat down to rest.

The neighborhood was fairly posh, with well-manicured lawns and home security systems on every property. Beemers and Land Rovers sat gleaming in the driveways like showpieces. P.T. had chosen an empty lot nearby to set up the tent - like the rest of the neighborhood it was spotlessly clean. The circus bugs had laughed at the flea, insisting that anyplace that was kept so garbage-free would be devoid of insects. But P.T. had been adamant. Soon they found out why: the locals, who came out only at night, were so desperate for entertainment that they leapt at the chance to go to a circus. Only problem was keeping the circus hidden from the humans. The tent had been set up discreetly behind a dumpster (which was also considerably clean).

Molt didn't like humans. His father used to tell Molt and Hopper stories about humans: how they stomped about, deliberately squishing you if you didn't get out of their way, and how they concocted poisons and swatters and various other weapons against bugdom. Humans, in other words, were monsters. Not quite as scary as cats, which terrified Molt beyond explanation, but scary enough. Molt didn't care to run into any.

The streetlamps illuminated the streets almost as brilliantly as day, so when Molt finally abandoned the mailbox, he tried to hug the shadows along the edges of the houses. Flowerbeds were convenient. And naturally, every yard had a flowerbed in order to keep the neighborhood looking static. The grasshopper attempted to ask the local spiders and earthworms for directions but no one seemed willing to talk to him. Miffed by their rudeness, Molt hopped onto a low, white fence separating two yards.

Then he froze. The night was as still as could be but the grasshopper was certain he had heard an insect - a woman - singing. He listened as hard as he could to pinpoint its source. It seemed to be coming from one of the human houses.

Now, normally, Molt wouldn't have had to think twice when it came to approaching a human dwelling. He would have turned tail and flown away before you could blink. But for some reason, this time, he just had to have a closer look.

So he flew towards the house in question and followed the corners of its foundation until the singing was as loud as it was going to get. Molt landed on the windowsill at that point and tried to peer inside.

The inside of the house was darker than the outside. Molt pressed against the black windowscreen and strained to see, but it was no use.

The voice sang on.

Frustrated, Molt tugged a bit at the corner of the screen. Naturally, it didn't budge. The grasshopper leaned on the screen and tried to think.

"She's not bad, eh?" squeaked a voice nearby. Surprised, Molt looked around.

A tiny brown spider lowered himself on a line from the top of the windowframe. "Better than a concert," grinned the old spider, hanging from his thread at a level with Molt's eyes.

Molt was mystified. "Who is she?"

The spider grinned wider. "Don't know," he admitted. "But she sure can belt out a tune, eh?"

"Yeah," agreed Molt, turning back to the screen. "She sings real pretty..."

At that the spider erupted into squeaky laughter. "Oh my," he said at last, tittering. "I sure hope you aren't planning on going Prince Valiant and busting in there to catch a sight of the fair damsel."

Molt turned back to the spider and glared a bit. "No," he said defensively. But he stopped to think about it.

The spider bobbed his withered old head. "Good," he said. "Because if the humans didn't get you with their flyswatters and cans of poison then the cat would catch you, sure."

At the mention of cats, Molt's eyes got as big as dimes. "Cat? Cat? There's a cat in there?" He stumbled back so hastily he nearly fell off of the sill and had to grab at the frame to stay on.

"You bet your feelers there's a cat," returned the spider, nonplussed. "A great white ghostcat. Eat you up as soon as look at you."

Molt didn't like where this was going. He clung to the windowframe and imagined a slavering spectral cat prowling around inside the house.

The spider sighed and swung a bit on his thread. "She sure do sing nice, though," he mused, mostly to himself. "If I weren't such an old codger I might even try getting in there myself. Too bad." He slowly climbed back up his line and crouched again in his web, stretched in top corner of the windowframe.

Molt lingered there a bit longer, listening to the singing. He had to admit it; it certainly was just about the most beautiful thing he had ever heard. But the thought of that monster cat finally proved too much, and he flew off in search of the circus once again. He was more successful this time.


	2. Chapter Two

**I Know Why the Caged Cricket Sings**  
a _Bug's Life_ fanfic  
by  
C. "Sparky" Read

_**Chapter Two**_

The next night's performance resulted in almost forty audience members - some being repeat business. P.T. was so excited he kept leaping right into the top of the tent and clinging there, whooping for joy. Rosie had to carry him down more than once.

"A month!" crowed the flea after the show was over. "Maybe two!"

Blip poked Molt in an arm as the crew cleaned up the audience's discarded rubbish. "Hey," the firefly grumped. "Where'd you vanish to last night?"

Molt was certain Blip would see him turn red as he lied. "I...went out to get somethin' ta eat."

The firefly didn't notice a thing. "Hmph," he said, going back to picking up trash. "Explains why you were out so long."

The insult sailed right over Molt's head. He sidled up to the wolf spider. "Hey, Ymri?" he said slowly. "Do...do you believe in ghosts?"

Ymri, who was sweeping litter into a bag, paused thoughtfully. "Yes, I suppose I do," he said at last. "But why do you ask this?"

Molt, who was of the opinion that Ymri knew everything and if Ymri said there were ghosts, then that must be final, didn't like that answer. "Well what about...what about cats?"

Ymri was confused. "Cats?"

"Yeah, like...ghost cats."

The spider tried not to smile, to spare Molt's feelings. He could tell that Molt was serious. "I do not believe there is such a thing as a ghost cat," he said firmly.

Molt was tremendously relieved. "Okay," he said. "Well uh...see you guys in the mornin'." He put his broom down and hurried for the tentflap.

"Hey!" cried Flash. "Where do ya think you're goin'?"

"Probably to eat again," suggested Blip.

"Uh...right," lied Molt. He made good his escape.

Flash shook his head. "Pathetic," he said. "The guy just lives for food. It's not healthy."

Blip frowned. Molt wasn't acting like himself at all...and he didn't like it. The others didn't seem concerned; they continued scrubbing spilled cola off of the seats as if nothing was going on. But Blip knew better. At least, he hoped he did. Not that it helped any. With a sigh, he went to empty his trashbag.

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Molt found the house again with no trouble, as it was the only one in the neighborhood with no car in the driveway. He lit on the windowsill and listened to the woman sing.

"It's the daring prince again!" beamed the spider, lowering himself on his line.

Molt didn't deny it. "I'm goin' in there," he said decidedly.

The spider was so startled he accidentally broke his own thread by grabbing at it too hard. He fell with a small thump on the sill. "That's insanity!" he cried, picking himself up. "That ghostcat will send you to the Netherworld in a blink!"

Molt shook his head. "No way," he said firmly. "There's no such thing as a ghostcat. I know for a fact."

But the spider was still all excited. "Doesn't matter if you believe in it or not," he squeaked. "It'll still be there, and you'll still be doomed."

Despite what Ymri said, Molt didn't want to hear about it. "I'm gonna find a way in." He walked to the edge of the windowsill and flew to the ground.

The spider stared down after the grasshopper. "Well don't come crying to me after you get eaten!" he shouted, waving a tiny fist in the air.

Down below, Molt tried hard not to imagine being eaten by a big spectral cat. He walked along the edge of the house, looking for any sort of openings. There were none. Finally, he reached the closed back door. There was positively no space underneath it. However, there was a smaller square cut into the door, with a piece of vinyl tacked over it, which swung slightly in the breeze. Grinning at his luck, Molt jumped to the bottom edge of the square door and squeezed under the vinyl. And like that, he was inside.

But once in, Molt's bravado all but vanished. He was inside a human house! It was a sure way to get killed. The grasshopper pressed himself against the bottom of the door and waited for the end to come.

After waiting for nearly twenty minutes for a giant foot to come crashing down or a cloud of poison gas to smother him, Molt came to the conclusion that his father was a bigger taleteller than he had previously suspected. If there were humans here, they weren't showing themselves. So, taking a deep breath, Molt ventured forward into the darkness.

At this end of the house he could no longer hear the singing, so he wandered blindly through the rooms, sinking to his knees in the expensive shag carpeting and listening for the voice to guide him.

After what seemed like hours, he finally heard it. It was coming from behind a closed door.

Molt looked at the door in dismay. Closed! He felt extraordinarily depressed. He'd come all this way, only to be stopped by a closed door. There was a slight gap under it, but he knew he'd never fit though it.

But then he remembered that the carpet was soft and would allow a bit more room when pressed down. Deciding he may as well try it, he attempted to squeeze under the door. It was a tight fit. Between the bottom of the door and the coarse carpet he wound up rubbing off all of his loose chitin, but by twisting and pushing he finally managed to make it under. He lay on the other side panting for a few minutes.

The woman was definitely in this room. He could hear her humming from the top of a high shelf on one wall. On the wall opposite the door was a window, and Molt knew the old spider was still out there on the sill, waiting for him come back in defeat. Molt was tempted to fly straight to the window and give the old coot a scare but then he remembered why he came in the first place. He looked around.

The room was very tidy, like the other rooms Molt had glimpsed on his way down the hall. There was a fireplace on one side, with a mantle, which was bedecked with a clock and various small trinkets. A television (Molt knew what those were; he and Hopper had seen one once, years before) sat on a small table across from a sofa. There was an impressive stereo system across from the fireplace. And above that was a small shelf. It was the shelf that caught Molt's full attention, and he flew to perch on it.

On the shelf was a smallish screenwalled terrarium, with a hinged, latched top. Inside, a miniature pump-powered fountain flowed next to a Bansai tree. A bark path linked them. The rest of the bottom of the terrarium was carpeted with some kind of moss, dotted with tiny white flowers. And sitting in front of the tree, twining those flowers into her long antennae, was a shiny, stout black cricket with reddish wings. Her eyes were closed, and she was humming a little tune. Molt thought she looked lovely.

At the sound of Molt's wings, however, the cricket looked up in confusion. "Oh!" she cried in alarm, and in a flurry of wings and flowers scrambled into the Bansai tree. She crouched there, peering out with her big brown eyes and not saying a word.

Molt was startled by her sudden flight and stood rooted to the spot. For a few moments they just blinked at one another. Finally, the grasshopper stepped forward.

The cricket gasped and retreated farther into the tree. "Get away!" she warned, her voice tremulous. "I - I mean it, now," she went on, backing up some more. "Who do you think you - Whoops!" she cried, backing up too far and running out of tree. She landed with a splash in the fountain.

Molt rushed up to the screen front of the terrarium, concerned. "You okay?"

The cricket floundered there a moment, stunned, then crawled out of the fountain. She looked at Molt. "Why are you here?" she asked, ignoring both the grasshopper's question and the water dripping from her wings and long antennae. "No one ever comes here but the humans."

Molt paused at the mention of the humans. "Well," he began, trying to explain. "I wanted ta see ya."

The cricket crept forward to put a hand on the Bansai's trunk. "Why?"

"Well, because..." Molt shook his head. "I - I guess it was a dumb reason," he said, and he believed it. "I just...wanted ta know who was singin'."

The cricket, dry now, looked completely baffled. "You...you did?" She frowned. "Well...it was me," she said unnecessarily. "Was I not supposed to?"

Molt shook his head again, more emphatically. "Oh - Oh no! No!" he said hastily. "You're just about the best singer I ever heard."

At that the cricket stepped slowly up to the screen. "I am? Really?" She looked pleased. "Are you sure?"

Molt swallowed when the cricket came near. The moonlight made the white flowers in her antennae look silver. "Um...yeah," he managed.

She smiled broadly, and clasped her two pairs of hands together in delight. Then she stepped back and scrutinized Molt carefully through the screen. Before Molt could ask her what was the matter, she announced firmly, "You're a grasshopper."

This glaringly obvious observation was stated so authoritatively Molt had to keep from laughing. "Of course I am," he grinned. "What did ya think I was, a boll weevil?"

The cricket giggled. "No!" she said. "I just haven't seen one since the pet shop."

That stumped Molt. "Pet shop?"

"You know...the pet shop."

But Molt didn't know. "Did you useta work at one?" He assumed she meant a bug pet shop, which sold aphids and mites and other sorts of insect pets.

The cricket frowned. "No, silly," she corrected him. "Where I was sold. Weren't you sold?"

Molt looked utterly confused. "People don't sell grasshoppers as pets!" he argued.

"Sometimes they do," replied the cricket, "but mostly they're for - " She stopped short. She could see that Molt didn't understand. "If you're not from a pet shop," she changed the subject, "where _are_ you from?"

The grasshopper shrugged. "Well I'm from...outside," he answered, pointing to the window. Then it was his turn to change the subject. "What's your name?"

The cricket paused to twirl an antenna around one hand. "Trill," she told him.

"That's kinda pretty," Molt replied, and she beamed again. "Um," he said. "My name's Molt."

Trill giggled at him. "Molt? Why?"

It occurred to Molt that Trill didn't seem to have too many social graces. But he decided to overlook it for now. "Well, because I - " But he fell silent upon realizing that he had rubbed off all of his molting chitin while entering the room. "Uh...Nevermind," he said at last. He looked at the terrarium. "So, when do ya come outta there?"

Trill reacted as if the grasshopper had suggested she jump down a lizard's throat. "Come _out?_" she cried. "Why would I want to come out?"

Molt blinked at her. "Why would ya wanna stay _in?_"

The cricket was indignant. "This is my home," she answered. "It's _always_ been my home, since I was little. Why would I leave my home?"

Molt had never heard of such a thing. "But in there, you can't fly," he told her. "You can't go places...and you can't see anythin'."

Trill glanced over her shoulder at her long trailing wings. "I - I can fly," she said defensively. "A...bit. And where would I go?"

"Well..." Molt tried to think of some good examples. He remembered what the old spider had said. "You could go ta concerts," he said triumphantly. "An' you could go ta restaurants, an'...an' the circus," he added, figuring he might as well. He frowned at Trill's lost expression. "Haven't ya been outta there, _ever?_"

Trill shook her head and sat down on the moss. "What's 'the circus'?" she asked curiously.

Molt had to smile. "That's where I work," he said, sitting down as well. "There's clowns and a cannon and candy and magic acts and you have no idea what I'm talkin' about do ya?" Trill shook her head. Molt sighed and slumped in defeat.

Trill put a hand to the screen and scooted closer to the grasshopper. "Molt," she said, and the grasshopper looked up at her. "Tell me? About...about Outside? Please?"

They looked at eachother for a while.

"Okay," said Molt finally. Trill smiled brightly at him.

And he told her. He told her about the wind, and the trees, and the grass. He told her about clouds and the stars and the sun and the moon, which were only barely visible through the window's black screen. He told her about the colors and the food. She had seen some of these things on the television and heard of them on the radio but somehow it just had never mattered much before. But now it meant everything. Trill's eyes grew by the minute. She hung on his every word. But finally, Molt stood up.

"I hafta go," he said.

Trill looked crushed. "You're _going?_" she said in a small voice, standing slowly. "You - You're leaving?"

She sounded so sad, Molt felt sorry for her. "I hafta," he told her. "I gotta get back ta the circus."

Trill drooped. "Okay."

Molt felt horrible. "I can come back," he said, recalling what P.T. had said about staying for a month or more.

The cricket didn't cheer up. "Come back?" she said.

Molt remembered that Trill didn't know much about coming and going, since she always stayed in one spot. "I _will_ come back," he told her. "Tomorrow night."

Trill thought about it. "Tomorrow?"

Molt nodded firmly. "After dark. I'll come in here just like I did tonight."

"Really?" asked Trill hopefully.

"I promise," said Molt, and he left.

After finding his way back out through the small square door, Molt flew around to the window again. He discovered the spider crouched on the sill, sound asleep. The spider looked up in surprise as Molt landed heavily.

"So you weren't eaten by the ghost, eh?"

"Nah."

"And you weren't squashed by the humans."

Molt grinned. "Nope," he said.

The spider frowned suspiciously at the grin. "Don't tell me you actually went in there," he said.

"Then I won't."

"You're a loony!" cried the spider. Then he glanced around. "...Did ya see her?" he whispered, as if anyone else might overhear.

Molt nodded.

"Is she pretty?"

Molt nodded again.

"Good boy!" crowed the spider, patting Molt on the shin proudly. "Now you've got a story to tell the lads back home, eh?"

"It'd be a better story after I see her again."

The spider boggled. "Are you cracked?" he howled. "You'll be smooshed flatter than a...a...an I-don't-_know_-what! You were lucky this time."

"I'm gonna see her again," said Molt firmly.

"Bah," the spider dismissed him, scuttling up the windowframe back to his web. "You'll be sorry."

Molt doubted it.


	3. Chapter Three

**I Know Why the Caged Cricket Sings**  
a _Bug's Life_ fanfic  
by  
C. "Sparky" Read

_**Chapter Three**_

Slim was concerned. "P.T.'s really letting him have it in there," he commented, pausing outside the tentflap.

Francis just shrugged. "Maybe he deserves it. He sure loused stuff up tonight."

"It wasn't so bad," Gypsy lied gently. "Manny didn't really need any of his props anyway. He never noticed the difference."

"Yeah well he's been acting weird all week," returned the ladybug sourly. "And it's affecting the show."

Rosie stepped up to the assembly. "Everyone makes mistakes," she said, and winced when the flea shouted something particularly loud. "And someone should remind P.T. that, I think."

Gypsy shook her head sadly. "Poor dear," she said, and walked off to find her husband. Slim and Francis wandered off somewhere as well, and finally even Rosie gave up and went to build her nightly hammock.

At that moment Blip, Flash, and Ymri arrived.

"I tell ya, Molt's flipped his lid," Flash was telling Blip. "Did you see how he put the cannon in the wrong ring this time?"

Blip sighed. "Yeah," he agreed. "What little mind he had is now officially gone."

"I am sure there is reason for all of this," Ymri spoke up.

"Yeah, he's gone loony on us," replied Flash.

"Let's try to get him to go club-hopping with us tonight," suggested Blip. "Some guy stuff'll fix everything."

"Shh - here he comes," hissed Flash when P.T.'s shouting stopped and a shadow approached the tentflap.

Molt stepped out. His friends surrounded him.

"So uh...Big Guy," began Flash quickly. "How about some fun tonight, huh?"

Molt was trying to edge around Ymri. "Uh...I can't," he said distractedly. "I gotta be somewhere."

"Is everything going well? No troubles?"

Molt barely glanced at Ymri. "Sure, it's great. I'm gonna be late - "

Blip had a revelation. "You - You're not workin' a job on the side, are ya?" he hissed. "Man, if P.T. found out, he'd kill ya, that's what."

Molt blinked, returning to the here-and-now. "A...job? Oh, no! No way!"

"Well then what _is_ going on?" demanded Flash.

The grasshopper fidgeted. "Nothin'!" he insisted. "I gotta go." And with a leap into the air he flew away.

Blip, Flash, and Ymri looked at oneanother for a moment in silence.

"Follow him?" asked Flash.

"Follow him," Blip confirmed.

Ymri watched the fireflies switch off their lights and tail Molt into the darkness. As usual, he wouldn't say anything. He just hoped that wasn't a mistake.

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

"I brought these for you."

Trill squealed in delight. "They're all different colors!" she exclaimed, trying to touch the flowers through the screen with an antenna.

"Yeah," grinned Molt. "I figured ya might be tired of the white ones ya got in there."

Trill's broad smile and shining eyes pleased Molt; but then he frowned.

"What is it?"

Molt shook his head. "I wanted you ta have these," he answered, "but...you're still in there."

The cricket managed to not return the frown. "I told you," she reminded him gently, "this is - "

"Your home, I know," Molt finished for her.

"Besides, I couldn't get out anyways."

Molt nodded silently.

The excursions to the house had continued to be as easy as the first couple of times, mainly owing to the fact that the humans seemed to be on vacation. And of course by now Molt had dismissed the notion of a ghostcat entirely. He had even asked Trill if she had seen one and she had laughed at him, pointing out that the humans kept the room's door closed most of the time and maybe that had something to do with keeping the spirit at bay. Molt had practically kicked himself for even mentioning it.

"So." Trill leaned on the screen. "What happened to you today?"

While Molt attempted to find ways to avoid mentioning the tongue-lashing he had received from P.T., Blip and Flash listened to the scene through the window.

"I _can't_ believe it," Flash was saying. "Of course, it explains why he's cleaned himself up." The firefly referred to the fact that Molt had been flake-free for the past week, due to the grasshopper's squeezing himself under the door every day. "This was the _last_ thing I was expecting. Why didn't he just tell us?"

Blip, who was only watching over his shoulder by this point, shrugged. "Guess he don't like telling us stuff no more," he sulked. "Some pal."

"But it's so _weird_," Flash ignored the other firefly's remark. "Why's she even in the house? That's a good way to get squished."

"Molt's a moron," Blip went on, becoming more miffed. "He had to go an' find a girl who's dumb enough to live with humans. You can't get much stupider than that."

Flash made a face at Blip. "What's gotten into you?" he demanded. "Geez. So he's got a girlfriend. What do you care? She's a housebug - when the circus leaves she'll stay here. And their date will be over. Right? So forget about it. Come on," he said, walking to the edge of the sill. "Let's go home and do somethin'. I'm bored."

But Blip didn't budge. "I can't believe that feeb," he grunted, smacking his hand on the windowframe in irritation. "I'm his best friend! Why didn't he tell me nothin'?"

Flash snorted. "Maybe 'cause you make fun of him more than anyone else does," he pointed out.

"Aw, he knows I don't mean it," returned the other firefly.

"Come _on_," repeated Flash insistently, spreading his wings. "Let's go, leave 'em alone."

Blip scowled, but finally he flew off the sill and back in the direction of the tent. Flash followed immediately, glad to get away from the house.


	4. Chapter Four

**I Know Why the Caged Cricket Sings**  
a _Bug's Life_ fanfic  
by  
C. "Sparky" Read

_**Chapter Four**_

"This is the end! I'm ruined!"

"P.T.," Slim said, "we've had no-shows before. And you're no more ruined now than...well, than you've ever been."

"Thanks a heap," grunted the flea. "Okay, everyone, that's all she wrote!" P.T. hopped out into the center ring. "Say goodbye to the neighbors 'cause we're heading out in the morning! We've bled this 'berg dry."

The circus bugs knew better than to argue with P.T. when it came to pulling up stakes, so everyone headed off to their dressing areas to start packing up their props.

"Well, it was good while it lasted," said Flash, putting the Concessions away. "Hey, maybe next place will be another college campus. Now _those_ are fun."

"If one enjoys the company of roaches," replied Ymri.

"You got something against roaches?"

"Of course not. They are very tasty."

Blip intercepted Molt, who was once again on his way out. "Hey," said the firefly. "Ya hear that? We get to vacate this snootville."

Molt didn't answer right away. "Yeah," he said at last, stepping outside.

Blip followed him. "Yep yep yep," he went on, almost urgently. "By tomorrow night we'll be back to bright lights, big city...if we're lucky. Right?"

"I guesso."

The firefly fidgeted. "Hey, don't stay out too late this time," he said. "We uh...we'll need ya in the mornin' to help with the tent."

Molt paused, and looked at Blip. "Okay," he said, his face expressionless. And the grasshopper flew away.

Blip slumped. "Nuts," he grunted.

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

"I don't understand."

Molt paced back and forth in front of the terrarium. "I mean it, I won't be comin' back no more," he tried again to explain. "The circus is leavin'."

Trill watched him, a pout only barely beginning to appear on her round face. "No more, ever?" she tried to confirm.

The grasshopper paused in his pacing, and shrugged helplessly. "Ever," he replied.

Trill was silent a moment, then she slowly turned her back to the screen wall of her home. "Okay," she said at last.

Molt rushed to the screen. "Trill," he said, "I don't want to - I mean, I didn't know the circus was gonna be leavin' so soon...but...it's my job..."

The cricket didn't turn around. "Yes I know," she told him steadily. "You need to go. It's okay. Thank you for telling me all about Outside."

Molt exhaled, and ran a hand over his face. He pressed his back to the screen. This wasn't turning out well at all.

They both stood that way for a while, not looking at one another. The mantle clock ticked away, filling the room with its predictable sound. Finally, Molt could stand it no longer.

"I'm getting' ya outta there," he said firmly, and half-flew, half-climbed to the top of the terrarium. Trill whirled around, her eyes wide.

"What?" she demanded, surprised. "You can't!"

Molt was examining the lid of the terrarium. "I know it's your home and all," he said, "but - "

"No I mean - I mean, you can't," interrupted the cricket. "Only the humans can open it."

Molt took that as a sign that she did indeed want to leave the cage. "How do you know only humans can open it?" he pressed. "Have any grasshoppers ever tried before?"

"Well...no..."

"Then I'll be the first. Here," Molt said triumphantly. "Here's a hook."

Trill clasped her hands together, and watched the insect above her with growing excitement. "Can you undo it?"

"Done," said Molt, easily lifting the hook. He was elated; this was ridiculously simple. "I'll have you out in a sec." He clung to the side of the terrarium and pushed up on the lid.

It came up about a quarter of an inch, but that was it. Finally, Molt had to let go.

"Is it stuck?" wondered Trill after Molt tried again with the same result.

"No," answered the grasshopper, deeply disappointed. "It's too heavy."

"Oh." Trill lowered her head. "Well," she said. "That's okay, I guess I can just - "

"Hey," said Molt suddenly, startling the cricket. "Bring me a piece of that."

Trill looked where Molt was pointing, and picked up a chip of bark from the path. "This?"

"Yeah. Bring it up here."

Trill hesitated, then flew to the top corner of the terrarium where Molt was clinging. "I'm gonna lift this again," he explained, "and I want ya to shove that underneath. Okay?"

Trill nodded silently.

Using his upper arms to push up on the lid and his lower ones to push down on the main body of the cage, Molt managed to raise the lid a good two-thirds of an inch. "Now," he hissed, teeth gritted.

Trill complied, sliding the bark under the lid, in the corner. With a grunt, Molt let go, and the bark stayed in place, propping the lid up by a fraction of an inch.

The cricket looked at it. "How does that help?"

"Get another one."

Using this method, Molt and Trill managed to raise the lid of the terrarium very slowly. Outside, the sun began to make its presence known, blotting out the stars on the horizon.

"Can you fit now?"

"Not yet I don't think."

Molt waited while Trill flitted back to the bottom of the cage for another chip of bark. "Hey," he said suddenly. "What's that?"

He was referring to a sound outside, which was accompanied by a pair of lights that swung around towards the house. It was a car pulling into the driveway.

"It's the humans," Trill told him, returning to the top of the cage. "They've come back."

Molt stiffened. All week, it had been him telling Trill about the outside world. Never once had she told him about humans - which was just as well, since he didn't want to know. But now he wished she had at least told him they were coming back. Somehow, he had managed to convince himself they were gone for good.

Hastily, he shoved at the terrarium lid, and Trill slid the bark underneath. "Ya gotta fit now," he told her urgently. "Come on."

Hesitantly, Trill clung to the lid and crawled forward, edging out of the terrarium upside-down. Molt hopped to the top of the lid and bent over to help her. In his haste, his elbow rubbed against the pile of bark chips, and it began to topple. Trill cried out in fear, and Molt, grabbing all four of the cricket's arms, leapt forward and away from the terrarium as the bark scattered, sending the lid crashing down. The two insects fell to the room's floor, Molt's wings only slightly hampering their momentum. They landed on the soft shag carpeting with a double "Oof!"

It took a few moments, but finally they both realized they had done it, and they helped eachother up. "Thanks," they said in unison, and they looked up at the terrarium, on its high shelf.

"I guess that's it," said Trill, not sure what else to say.

"I guess."

There was an awkward pause, then finally Molt turned towards the room's door. "Come on," he said, "we'd better get goin'." He led Trill to the gap and showed her how to squeeze under; she lost most of the flowers from her antennae in doing so but she barely noticed. They crept down the hall on their way to the doorflap in the kitchen.

There was some noise from another room as a door opened, then closed again. The sound of humans moving about was unmistakable, and Molt's panic grew.

"Hurry," he insisted, and lifted the vinyl flap for Trill, then hastily followed her outside.

"We should get away from here," said Molt, not happy with merely getting outside; he wanted to leave the neighborhood as soon as possible. "Come on - Trill? Is something wrong?"

Trill stood rooted to the spot, gaping at the sky, and overwhelmed by the sheer openness of space around her. She didn't reply.

"Trill?" repeated Molt, frowning. "We'll sightsee later - come on."

The cricket shook herself a little, and looked at Molt. "What? Oh...oh, okay." Molt turned and started walking away from the door. Before following, Trill stole another look around, this time turning in a circle. She didn't get to complete it.

"_Molt!_" she screamed in terror, stumbling backwards. Molt whipped around just in time to see a cat, its fur a gleaming white, step out under the vinyl flap and pause halfway through, its eyes fixed on the cricket.

The three stood motionless for what seemed like an eternity. And then, the cat moved. But Molt moved faster.

"Runrunrunrunrun!" screamed Molt, tearing across the yard at a remarkable speed. Trill, being towed after him, struggled to keep up. "You - you _saved_ me," she gasped.

Molt didn't hear her. "Hide, hide - we gotta hide!" he wailed, zigzagging. Certain the ghostcat would be upon them any second, he failed to tread with care and suddenly tripped on something, landing without ceremony on his face, limbs askew and Trill sprawled on top of him.

Behind them, the cat sauntered to a stop and regarded the two insects with intense curiosity, one paw raised slightly. Molt and Trill twisted around to gape at it in horror.

But before the animal could lean down to have a sniff, all present shifted their attention to a metal object that rose strangely out of the ground beneath the cat.

Trill blinked at it. Molt covered his eyes with his hands. The cat appeared about to step aside but was simply too late.

The sprinkler's effect on the cat was instant. Spitting and screaming in indignation, the animal tore back across the yard and vanished through the doorflap as water spurted in all directions from this and the other sprinklerheads that sprouted out of the lawn.

Molt uncovered his eyes as the water droplets crashed all around. Trill rose slowly and marveled at the phenomenon.

"Wow," she said.

Molt was past being impressed. He stood up and took Trill's hand.

"Now would be a really good time to go," he said.


	5. Chapter Five

**I Know Why the Caged Cricket Sings**  
a _Bug's Life_ fanfic  
by  
C. "Sparky" Read

_**Chapter Five**_

P.T. threw his hat on the ground in fury. "That's _it!_" he shouted. "I've had it with that ignoramus! He's _fired!_"

"That is very hasty," Ymri pointed out.

The flea seethed. "I shoulda fired him days ago! He knew we were moving today! Grasshoppers! They're the laziest bugs on Earth."

"P.T.," said Rosie sternly, pausing in her labor of loading the wagon. "Don't you think that maybe Molt's been having some kind of problem lately? He's never been like this before. Have you asked him?"

"Well, uh..." P.T. tried to stall. "Not in so many words, no. But he knows his job!" he went on, shaking a fist at the black widow, who rolled her eyes and went back to work. "Everyone here's got a job to do, and nobody'd better be keeping secrets!" he shouted at everyone. Everyone mumbled and ignored him.

Everyone, that is, except for the fireflies, who were trying not to look guilty and failing very badly. Ymri frowned at them.

"There is something that you know, yes?" prompted the wolf spider firmly, folding his arms. "Why has Molt not come? You tell now, I think."

Blip and Flash glanced at eachother as the other circus bugs, who had overheard, stepped towards them.

"Hey, is there something you guys should tell us?" demanded Francis. "You'd better spill it."

Flash coughed. "Yeah well," he said, "I guess we know where he went..."

"And?" prompted Slim when the firefly paused.

Blip shrugged. "He went to go see a girl, okay?" he said shortly.

There was a surprised silence. "Is that what this is all about?" said Gypsy at last. "A girl?"

Blip shrugged again. "Looks like," he said.

There were exhales all around. "Well why didn't someone _say_ so?" asked Francis. "A girl!"

"Is she nice?" wondered Dim.

"Let us find out," answered Manny, gesturing towards the sky as two figures descended to land near the wagon.

Trill, unused to flying more than a few inches at a time, landed unsteadily and had to grab at the wagon. Molt looked about almost guiltily as the circus bugs gathered around curiously.

"Um," he said after some silence. "Sorry I'm late."

Rosie caught sight of P.T. beginning to storm forward and hastily stepped forward to intercept him. "Hello," she said brightly to Trill, who was a bit overwhelmed by all the bugs looking at her. Rosie threw Molt a prodding, "Introduce her" look.

"Oh!" responded Molt quickly. "Um...Everyone, this is Trill. Trill, this is...uh...everyone."

"Um, hello," said Trill with a small wave.

P.T. ducked between Rosie's legs to confront the grasshopper. "Well?" prodded the flea inquiringly. "Care to explain yourself?"

"And this," went on Molt, gesturing at the flea, "is P.T. Flea, the greatest showbug in the entertainment industry!"

P.T., about to launch into a full scowl, checked himself. "Wh - well I...guess that's about right," he brightened, and offered Trill a hand, which the cricket shook eagerly.

"Molt says your circus is the best there ever was," she told him.

The circus bugs beamed. Good old Molt.

P.T. grinned at the cricket for a moment, then pulled away and clapped his hands together suddenly. "Well," he said loudly, "it's been fun, but we've got to hit the road. Paying customers await around the next bend!" He sprang to the top of the wagon and took the millipedes' reins. "All aboard for glitz and glamour! - I _saw_ that look, Francis."

Circus bugs began to slowly take their places on and in the wagon and on Dim's back. Everyone kept a curious eye on Molt and Trill, however.

Molt looked at Trill and coughed a bit. "Um, I guess I gotta go."

Trill nodded, and she smiled. "Thanks a lot for getting me out of there," she said. "And for saving me and everything."

"Will you be okay?"

"Oh, uh-huh." The cricket looked around. "I'm sure I'll find something to do. Well...goodbye. Goodbye everyone!" She turned to go.

"Oh...no...Trill honey," interrupted Rosie, hopping down off of Dim's back. "If you don't have anyplace to go you can't just go wander off like that. She really doesn't have anyplace to go?" she asked Molt, who shook his head. "P.T.!" she called.

P.T. cringed and gripped the reins tighter. "I know what you're going to ask," he grunted.

"Come on, P.T. It's the middle of nowhere. We can drop her off in the next city."

Trill was mystified. "You want me to go with you...to a city?"

Gypsy flitted over. "Maybe she can help the show out," she suggested. "Is there anything you can do, dear?"

Molt spoke up immediately: "She can sing."

At that Ymri poked his head out of the wagon's front car. "She is musical?"

"Oh yeah, she's great."

Trill got that pleased look again.

Ymri climbed out of the wagon. "Can you play instruments?" she asked the cricket.

"I...I don't know."

P.T. was getting impatient. "Look at the sun!" he cried. "It's gotta be nine already!"

"Can you teach her, Ymri?" Molt asked the spider, pointedly ignoring the flea's complaints.

"Perhaps."

"Well that's wonderful," beamed Gypsy.

"All right, all right!" snorted P.T., at the end of his rope. "You," he said to Trill. "In the wagon. Everyone else, let's go already!"

Places were hastily resumed, and Trill delightedly joined the crew in the wagon's front car. And then, they were on their way.

"So," said Flash eagerly, leaning forward. "What are humans like?"

Molt frowned. "How didya know about the humans?" He wasn't answered right away. "What - did you _follow_ me?"

Blip and Flash exchanged panicked glances. "It was his idea!" they both said, pointing at eachother. "Was not!" they chorused indignantly.

Molt snorted, then glanced over at the wolf spider, who had begun speaking to Trill about music. After a brief consideration, he decided not to tell Ymri he had been wrong about the ghostcat. After all, Molt concluded, no one could know everything. But they could come close.


End file.
